Rivers and Mountains in Texas

According to Abbreviationfinder, with population of 28,995,881, Texas is the 2nd largest state among U.S. 50 states, and TX is the two letter abbreviation for Texas. Here, we provide a list of major rivers and mountains in the state of Texas.

Rivers and Mountains in Texas

Rivers in Texas

Texas has a variety of rivers, the main ones of which are shown below.

Brazos River
The Brazos River has a length of approx. 2,060 and is the second longest river in Texas. The name of the river comes from Spanish and means something like the arms of God. The Brazos River rises north of Abilene in northern Texas. The river flows into the Gulf of Mexico at the city of Freeport. During its course, the Brazos River is used to generate electricity. This happens at the Possum Kingdom Lake, Lake Granbury and Lake Whitney reservoirs.

Canadian River
The Canadian River is a tributary of the Arkansas River and has a length of approximately 1,458 km. The Canadian River flows through the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. The river’s name came about because the first explorers thought it would originate in Canada. However, the Canadian River originates in the state of Colorado in the mountain range of the Sangre de Cristo Range and flows from there in an easterly direction to its mouth in Oklahoma where it flows into the Arkansas River. In New Mexico the Canadian River flows in the northeast of the state and then flows in Texas through the northern part of the so-called Texas Panhandle. Finally, it flows through the central part of Oklahoma from west to east.

Colorado River
The Colorado River is 1,380 km long and should not be confused with the Colorado River in Colorado, Utah and Arizona. The Colorado River rises in northwest Texas near the city of Lamesa in the Llano Estacado area. From there it flows southeast to its mouth near Bay City in the Gulf of Mexico. In the past, the Colorado River often caused flooding until it was tamed by several dam projects. The Colorado River flows through the cities of Austin, Colorado City, Bastorp and Wharton.

Neches River
The Neches River has a length of about 670 km and flows in eastern Texas. The river flows into Sabine Lake near the border with Lousiana. Here is also the city of Beaumont, which is close to the Gulf of Mexico and is very interesting because of its port. The Neches River flows through the Big Thicket National Preserve.

Nueces River
The Nueces River is approximately 507 km long and flows in southwestern Texas. The name of the river means something like “nut river” because there used to be a lot of pecan trees. The source of the river is northwest of San Antonio. From there the Nueces River flows in a south-westerly direction to its mouth in Corpus Christi Bay in the Gulf of Mexico. In 1862 a massacre occurred in the Nueces River in which civil war refugees of German origin were murdered by the Southern Cavalry. The Nueces River flows through the city of Corpus Christi and forms the Corpus Christi Lake.

Pecos River
The Pecos River is approximately 1,490 km long and is a tributary of the Rio Grande. The source of the river is located in the state of New Mexico near the city of Santa Fe. From there the river flows in a southeasterly direction and flows into the Rio Grande at Del Rio.

Red River
The Red River is an approx. 1,966 km long tributary of the Mississippi and flows in northern Texas and southern Oklahoma as well as in the extreme southwest of Arkansas and in the north of Louisiana. The Red River forms part of the border between the states of Oklahoma and Texas. The river is created by the confluence of the Prairie Dog Town Fork, Elm, Salt and North Fork in northern Texas. Because of the red mineral rock in the headwaters, the river got the name Red River. In the past, the Red River was also the border between the United States and the Viceroyalty of New Spain. The Red River estuary is divided into two parts. About 110 km northeast of the city of Baton Rouge in Lousiana, two arms form, the western part of which flows into the Atchafalaya River and the eastern part into the Mississippi. In Louisiana, the Red River intersects the northern part of Louisiana diagonally from northwest to southeast.

Rio Grande
The Rio Grande, called Rio Bravo in Mexico, has a length of approx. 3,034 km and is the third longest river in the USA. The Rio Grande flows through the states of Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. In Texas, the Rio Grande forms the entire southwestern border between Texas and Mexico over a length of 2,000 km. The Rio Grande originates in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and in southern Texas in the Gulf of Mexico. The Rio Grande flows through the cities of El Paso, Ciudad Juárez and Albuquerque, among others. The Rio Grande is used intensively for agricultural irrigation.

Sabine River
The Sabine River has a length of approx. 925 km and forms part of the southern border section between Texas and Louisiana. The Sabine River rises in northeastern Texas and flows southward towards its mouth at Orange in the Gulf of Mexico. The fairly water-rich river, as expenditure shows, was settled quite early. In the past, the Sabine River was also the border between the United States and the Viceroyalty of New Spain.

Trinity River
The Trinity River is approximately 1,140 km long and only flows in Texas. The Trinity River originated in northern Texas at the confluence of the Elm and West Fork near the city of Dallas. From there the river flows in a southeasterly direction to its mouth near Houston in the Gulf of Mexico.

  • COUNTRYAAH: Alphabetical list of all cities, towns and villages in Texas, including biggest cities by population and capital city in the state of Texas.

Mountains in Texas

Big Bend National Park

Guadalupe Peak
The Guadalupe Peak has a height of approx. 2,667 m and is the highest mountain in Texas. The mountain belongs to the Guadalupe Mountains. It is located west of Texas in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. You can reach the summit of Guadalupe Peak via a not too difficult, approx. 7 km long hiking trail.

El Capitan
The El Capitan mountain is the eighth highest mountain in Texas at a height of approximately 2,464 m. It is located west of Texas in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The mountain is part of the Guadalupe Mountains and is particularly known for its shape. The mountain seems to sprout out of the relatively flat area of ​​the Chihuahuan Desert. The mountain can be climbed and offers wonderful views of the surrounding region.

Emory Peak
With a height of approx. 2,385 m, Emory Peak is the highest mountain in the Chisos Mountains. The mountain is located in southwest Texas near the border with Mexico. The top of Emory Peak can be reached via a not too difficult, approx. 15 km long hiking trail.

North Franklin Mountain
The North Franklin Mountain has a height of approx. 2,192 m and is therefore the highest mountain in the Fanklin Mountains. The mountain is located in western Texas near the city of El Paso. Around the mountain is the Franklin Mountains State Park. The State Park ensures the maintenance of the paths that let the visitor climb the mountain.

Lakes and Reservoirs in Texas

Amistad Reservoir
The Amistad Reservoir is located near the city of Del Rio in southwest Texas. The Amistad Dam has been damming the Rio Grande here since 1969 and today the lake has an area of ​​approx. 263 km². The reservoir is used for flood control, agricultural irrigation and energy generation. The area around the lake belongs to the Amistad National Recreation Area. This makes the area one of the popular excursion destinations in the region. Visitors can go fishing, swimming, boating, camping and even hunting.

Cedar Creek Reservoir
The Cedar Creek Reservoir has an area of ​​approximately 2,600 km² and is located in northeastern Texas near the city of Dallas. The Cedar Creek, a tributary of the Trinity River, is dammed here. The lake is known as a good fishing area for perch.

Falcon Reservoir
The Falcon Reservoir has an area of ​​approximately 338 km² and is located in the extreme south of Texas. The Falcon Reservoir is created by the accumulation of the Rio Grande. In 2010 there were pirate attacks on the lake. The Los Zetas criminal organization took boats to the lake and pretended to be Mexican security officials. If they got on another ship they robbed it.

Lake of the Pines
The Lake of the Pines reservoir in northeastern Texas has an area of ​​approximately 2,201 km². Here the Big Cypress Bayou river is dammed by the Ferrells Bridge dam. This is used for flood control, but Lake of the Pines is also very popular as a recreational area.

Lake Texoma
Lake Texoma is a 103 km² reservoir in northeast Texas. The lake is on the Texas-Oklahoma border. The Red River has been dammed here by the Denison Dam since 1944. Because of its size and proximity to the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area, the area around the lake is a very popular local recreation area. There are 2 nature reserves, 2 state parks, 12 marinas and numerous resort facilities and campsites.

Lake Whitney
Lake Whitney is a reservoir with an area of ​​approximately 96 km² in northeast Texas. The lake and its surroundings are extremely popular as a recreation area. This is also underlined by Lake Whitney State Park. Visitors will find opportunities for fishing, boating, jet skiing, and even golf courses offer visitors relaxation and recreation.

Sam Rayburn Reservoir
The Sam Rayburn Reservoir is located in the east of Texas and covers an area of ​​approximately 463 km². The Angelina River has been dammed here since 1963. The lake is used for energy generation, flood control and agricultural irrigation. The lake is also a popular fishing area for fishing for perch and catfish.

Toledo Bend Reservoir
The Toledo Bend Reservoir is a 750 km² reservoir in western Texas. The lake is on the Texas-Louisiana border. The Sabine River has been dammed here since 1969. The lake is used for energy generation but is also a very nice local recreation area. Fishing is also an option here and fishing tournaments take place annually at the lake.